Instant analysis: SDSU beats Cal St. Bakersfield

Mark Zeigler

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What happened:
No. 19 SDSU handled Cal State Bakersfield 72-57 at Viejas Arena in its final nonconference game. Bakersfield, in its third season as a full-fledged member of NCAA Division I, was the only Div. I men’s basketball program in California that the Aztecs had never played. The win is their 31st straight against California schools from all divisions.

How it happened:
The Aztecs (12-2) opened with a 3-pointer by Xavier Thames on the game’s opening possession and never trailed. A 9-0 run to close the half made it 37-20 at intermission, and the Aztecs pushed the margin to 24 midway through the second half. But like they have all season against inferior competition, they took their foot off the gas and were merely ordinary the rest of the way.

Key player:
After having his double-figure scoring streak ended at 32 games, Jamaal Franklin started a new one. He had 18 points (9 of 9 from the line), 12 rebounds, four assists and five turnovers. Chase Tapley (14) and freshman Winston Shepard (11) were the only other Aztecs in double figures.

Key play:
SDSU coach Steve Fisher called timeout with 39 seconds left in the first half and had his team run down the shot clock. James Johnson set a ball screen for Franklin, who drove and dished to Tapley lifting from the left corner. The play worked to perfection: Tapley drained the 3-pointer shortly before the halftime buzzer.

Uh, oh:
Thames hobbled off early in the second half with what was described as a lower back strain. He did not return. The severity of the injury was not known, but the Aztecs do have a week before their next game.

In the house:
Perhaps the night’s most interesting development was former UCLA guard Tyler Lamb watching with his parents at Viejas Arena. Lamb announced he was transferring from UCLA in November, but SDSU was believed to be out of the running for the shooting guard with 1½ years of eligibility remaining.

Apparently not. Lamb said it’s down to SDSU and Long Beach State, neither of which currently has a scholarship available – meaning his family would have to pay for the spring semester before receiving a full scholarship next season.

“I’m looking for a top program that suits my playing style,” said Lamb, who hopes to reach a decision in the coming days. “I like that they play uptempo, that they run up and down. And Coach Fisher is a legendary coach. I like the whole vibe here.”